Eye on the National Student Movement is a new column that will appear in our news section every issue. We want to keep Camosun students updated on what’s happening with their money and what’s happening with the national student movement.
Got a tip? Let us know at editor@nexusnewspaper.com.
1. The $202,305.11 of your Camosun student Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) fees that the British Columbia Federation of Students (BCFS) has received from the Camosun College Student Society (CCSS) is still in the hands of the BCFS, who are a separate legal entity from the CFS. The BCFS is holding on to the Camosun student fees and not remitting them to the CFS because, according to the BCFS, the CFS owes them money. The CFS doesn’t deny it owes the BCFS but claims that the BCFS is not allowed to be holding the money, which Camosun students were told was going to the CFS.
2. In July, the CCSS gave the CFS a payment of $26,250 for Camosun students’ spring 2017 CFS fees. This is now the second consecutive fee payment the CCSS has given directly to the CFS, instead of giving it to the BCFS, since 2014.
3. Still no word on when the new BCFS fee increase will take place for Camosun students. The BCFS says the fee increase is because the organization is taking on tasks that the CFS is no longer providing to students. According to BCFS bylaws posted on their site, the increase in fees will be effective “no later than December 31, 2019.” Students will effectively be paying double for services unless they defederate from the CFS before the BCFS raises its fees. However, they can’t defederate with fees outstanding, and the BCFS is not remitting to the CFS its Camosun student fees it is holding, keeping defederation from happening.
4. Speaking of fee increases, as of September 1, your combined BCFS/CFS fees went up from $2.22 per month to $2.25 per month.